UK-headquartered arms globocorp BAE Systems is back in the spotlight over allegedly corrupt business practices after its partner Saab announced that it had submitted documents to the Swedish national anti-corruption prosecutor and specifically named BAE.
Saab makes the Gripen fighters now being delivered to the South African air …

@AC 14.48GMT

"The British government needs to start being a bit tougher and start pointing out to the likes of the US and Sweden that we will hold our companies to account then perhaps they will ensure their own back yards are clean too."

There, fixed that for you. This isn't a tit-for-tat game - the ability of the SFO to do anything meaningful with British firms [alleged to be] indulging in blatant and serious corruption is an embarrassment to anyone that cares about justice.

We (SA) probably should have...

Just the cost of doing business

What's a $400m fine to a company which does deals worth billions? Just another business expense. The spineless, toothless anti-fraud bodies in each country administer a slap on the wrist and BAE just carries on doing the same thing.

Wikipedia says

BAE

So, are other notionally non-US arms dealers in the news in their "home" nations as often as BAE are here, or are BAE just really shit and always getting caught with their pants down?

I mean, the fact that they are a shower of recidivist scumbags is without question, but do they really have to go around advertising it so blatantly all the time? Are they getting off on the exposure or something?

If you are untouchable ...

... then you don't need to hide your wrong-doings. For whatever reason, these objectionable cunts are given a free pass to get on and do whatever it is they need to do. In a decent country, they would be locked away from decent people, along with other dangerous psychopaths.

Is SAAB really that naive and unworldly?

It seems somewhat naive of SAAB to think that any company can sell arms to third world countries without "applying grease to the wheels of commerce".

This is the way that business is done in these countries. Hell, you can't even guarantee that your shipment will reach the intended parties without a little graft. It's hardly any different than working with the Longshoremens Union in New York harbour, except maybe cheaper.

Call it a "payment for cooperation", call it a "rebate" or "negotiated discount", call it "Backshish", call it what you will; but this is a well known issue with tin-pot countries and you can bet your communion money that EVERY company that does business with these people has had to pay SOMETHING to get that business and make it happen.

I hope there is no detailed record of the transaction anywhere. THAT would have been REALLY stupid!!!!!! Evere hear the phrase "God loves a cash business".

The question is, if the so called crime took place in country B, do the laws of country A apply?

I would bet that country B does not wish to prosecute the payer or the payee.

Handy Hint..

Why?

Why was BAE providing marketing and sales expertise to Saab? Was it because NOT A SINGLE ONE Saab Viggen was exported?

It's happening to me right now. The fools couldn't sell an ice cone in the Sahare, but when you bring in a contract all of sudden everybody claims he could have done a better job. Well, why didn't they then?